Actor Monika Pikuła is continuing her theatrical performances and public appearances while undergoing treatment for aggressive triple-negative breast cancer, which was diagnosed on her 46th birthday in April 2026.
Diagnosing the Tumor on a Birthday
The malignant tumor was discovered during a routine mammogram and confirmed on April 22, 2026. Pikuła recalled the initial shock of receiving the test results on her birthday.
Dokładnie w dniu swoich urodzin otrzymałam wyniki. Pierwsza wiadomość to była taka: nie, to jest niemożliwe. No tak, moje.
Although her first instinct upon hearing she needed chemotherapy was to ask for immediate surgery instead, medical staff explained that the aggressive nature of the tumor required a different approach.
The message about the oncological condition arrived during the month of April. After routine ultrasound scans, the star visited an oncological surgeon where she learned that the growth in her breast was malignant. Although she initially dealt with the diagnosis away from media attention, she later decided to use her reach to educate audiences and encourage preventative care. Discussing the social perception of cancer patients, she noted how the general public often views someone with cancer as a helpless victim, imagining them bedridden under blankets and being fed with a spoon rather than continuing an active life.
Actor Synchronizes Chemotherapy Schedule with Theater Performances
Pikuła organized her treatment schedule around her profession by synchronizing her calendar with her agency. She coordinated her infusions for Mondays, which serve as traditional dark days for theaters without scheduled performances. Colleagues praised her resilience throughout the schedule, noting that she returned from medical appointments to perform on stage.
Working alongside makeup artist and wigmaker Anna Soczówka, the actor also took an active role in managing hair loss by cutting her hair short before the chemotherapy took full effect, using the strands to create a natural wig for future use. She later shared side-by-side portraits on Instagram documenting the transition from her own haircut to subsequent hair loss beyond her control. Anna Soczówka noted that the outcome was excellent and served as proof that hair loss does not have to strip away a woman’s femininity and self-confidence.
At home, Pikuła is the mother of two teenage sons, 18-year-old Władysław and 14-year-old Jan. When asked if she feared telling them about the diagnosis, she gave a firm negative response, explaining that they deserved to know and that she shared everything she knew herself. Her sons demonstrated great maturity and empathy, with one telling her that she was very brave, which provided comfort during the toughest moments.
Attending the Film Premiere in Warsaw
Following the completion of her chemotherapy regimen in late October 2026, Pikuła appeared at the film premiere of Przepis na święta in Warsaw on November 5, 2026, posing for photographers without a wig or head covering in a black lace outfit. The film, directed by Magdalena Nieć with a cast including Piotr Stramowski, Zofia Jastrzębska, Sonia Mietielica, Adam Woronowicz, and Danuta Stenka, arrived in regular cinema distribution on November 6, 2026. Pikuła’s professional background also spans theatre work and voice acting, including dubbing characters like Fretka Flynn in Phineas and Ferb and London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck.
As part of Pink October, she appeared in the Dzień Dobry TVN studio on October 22, 2026, to discuss her cancer treatment.
The actor faces further medical procedures, including a breast-conserving surgery that will avoid a total mastectomy along with subsequent radiotherapy under a treatment plan that doctors anticipate can lead to full recovery if followed to completion.